How Long Is a Screenplay? Page Counts by Format
By Muhammad Wisal and Muhammad Ali / 6 min read
A feature screenplay is usually 90 to 120 pages, because one properly formatted page runs about one minute on screen. Half-hour TV scripts typically run 25 to 35 pages, hour-long dramas about 50 to 65, and short films anywhere from 1 to about 40 pages, with most festival shorts much closer to 10.
Why is one screenplay page about one minute of screen time?
One page equals roughly one minute because screenplay format is standardized: 12 point Courier, 1.5 inch left margin, about 1 inch on the other sides, and fixed indents for dialogue and character names. With every writer using the same layout, a page holds a similar amount of story, and decades of production experience put that at close to a minute.
The rule is an average across a whole script. Individual pages vary a lot:
- Action-heavy pages run long. "They fight their way down the stairwell" is one line on the page and can be two minutes of film.
- Rapid dialogue runs short. Quick back-and-forth exchanges fill a page with names and short lines that play in 30 seconds.
- Montages and musical sequences are often written compactly and play longer than their page count.
Producers and ADs know this, which is why the page count is a starting estimate for runtime and budget, and the schedule is built from a more detailed breakdown. If you are new to the layout rules that make the estimate work, see how to format a screenplay.
How many pages is a screenplay by format?
Each format has a typical range that readers and producers expect. These are common industry norms, so treat them as targets, and check the guidelines of any contest, fellowship or network you are submitting to.
| Format | Typical page count | Typical runtime |
|---|---|---|
| Feature film (spec) | 90 to 120 pages | About 90 to 120 minutes |
| Comedy or horror feature | Often 90 to 105 pages | About 85 to 100 minutes |
| Drama, epic or period feature | Often 105 to 125 pages | About 110 to 130 minutes |
| Half-hour single-camera TV | 25 to 35 pages | About 22 to 30 minutes |
| Half-hour multi-camera sitcom | Roughly 45 to 55 pages | About 22 minutes (dialogue is double spaced) |
| One-hour TV drama | 50 to 65 pages | About 42 to 60 minutes |
| Short film | 1 to about 40 pages | Matches the page count, roughly |
| Festival-friendly short | 5 to 15 pages | 5 to 15 minutes |
Multi-camera sitcom scripts are the main exception to the page-a-minute rule. They use double-spaced dialogue and capitalized action lines, so they look long on paper and play short.
How long should a spec feature script be?
For a spec feature you hope to sell or place in a contest, aim for roughly 90 to 110 pages. Readers often have a stack of scripts to cover, and a lean draft signals that the writer knows how to control pacing. A 135 page first script from an unknown writer tends to raise questions before page one.
That said, the range is a guideline. Shooting scripts for produced films are sometimes longer, and established writers get more room. If your story truly needs 118 pages, write 118 tight pages. If it is 118 pages because scenes start early and end late, cut.
How long is a short film script?
A short film script can be anything up to about 40 pages. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short as 40 minutes or less including credits, and many festivals use similar limits, though each sets its own rules.
In practice, shorter shorts are easier to make and easier for festivals to program. A 7 page script can often be shot in one or two days on a small budget, while a 30 page script is closer to a small feature in effort. Our guide on how to write a short film covers how to scope a story to a length you can actually shoot.
Worked example: estimating runtime from page count
Say you have a 14 page short called "Low Tide" with these sections:
| Section | Pages | Notes | Estimated minutes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening on the pier | 2 | Mostly visual, slow | 3 |
| Argument in the bait shop | 5 | Fast dialogue between Teodor and his sister Inez | 4 |
| Storm and boat sequence | 3 | Short action lines, a lot happens | 4 |
| Aftermath on the beach | 4 | Quiet dialogue with pauses | 4 |
| Total | 14 | About 15 |
The page count says 14 minutes. Reading the pages and adjusting for pace says 15. A timed table read, with someone reading action lines at a natural pace, gets you closer still.
How are pages measured for production?
On a production, page length is measured in eighths of a page. Each scene in the breakdown gets a length like 1 3/8 (one page plus three eighths), and the schedule adds up eighths to decide how much to shoot each day. Total page count and per-scene length in eighths are two different uses of the same measurement. The full method is in page count in eighths.
How do you cut a screenplay that is too long?
Trim for story first and for format last. A practical order:
- Cut scenes that repeat a beat. If two scenes both show that Inez distrusts her brother, keep the stronger one.
- Enter scenes late and leave early. Drop greetings, goodbyes and walking into rooms.
- Shorten action lines. Keep paragraphs to three or four lines. Cut camera directions and anything the audience cannot see or hear.
- Tighten dialogue. Remove lines that restate what the scene already shows, and cut the first and last line of long speeches to see if they still work.
- Merge or remove minor characters who exist only to deliver information.
Avoid cheating with smaller fonts, narrower margins or reduced line spacing. Experienced readers notice, and the cheat breaks the page-a-minute estimate that producers rely on.
Common mistakes with screenplay length
- Treating the range as a target to hit instead of a ceiling for a tight draft.
- Formatting in a word processor without proper indents, so the page count means nothing.
- Counting the title page. It is unnumbered and not part of the page count.
- Assuming a dialogue-heavy 100 page script plays at 100 minutes without a timed read.
- Submitting over a contest's stated page limit.
Check page count and script statistics in Lowerated
Lowerated's Scriptwriter formats your screenplay to industry standard as you type, so the page count you see is a fair estimate of runtime. The script statistics view gives you numbers about the script as a whole, which helps when you are deciding what to cut. For deeper numbers, read our guide to script analysis.
The clip shows the script statistics view for a screenplay in Lowerated.
FAQ
Is a 130 page screenplay too long?
For a spec feature, usually yes. Most readers expect 90 to 120 pages, and a script over that range often gets read with more skepticism. Produced epics can run longer.
How many pages is a 10 minute short film?
About 10 pages. Adjust after a timed read if the script is heavy on action or very fast dialogue.
Does the title page count toward page count?
No. The title page is unnumbered, and page one is the first page of the story.
Does the page-a-minute rule apply to TV?
Roughly, for single-camera shows and hour-long dramas. Multi-camera sitcoms use double-spaced dialogue, so their scripts run nearly two pages per minute.
Key takeaways
- One correctly formatted page is about one minute of screen time, averaged across the script.
- Spec features usually land at 90 to 120 pages, and 90 to 110 is a safe target.
- Half-hour TV is about 25 to 35 pages, hour-long drama about 50 to 65, and multi-cam sitcoms run longer on paper.
- Shorts can be up to about 40 pages, but 5 to 15 pages is easier to shoot and to program.
- Cut for story first. Never fix length by shrinking fonts or margins.
